Chapter 4. Sir Henry Baskerville

posedtowardsyou,sincetheywarnyouofdanger.” “Oritmaybethattheywish,fortheirownpurposes,toscaremeaway.” “Well,ofcourse,thatispossiblealso.Iamverymuchindebtedtoyou,Dr.Mortimer,forintroducingmetoaproblemwhichpresentsseveralinterestingalternatives.Butthepracticalpointwhichwenowhavetodecide,SirHenry,iswhetheritisorisnotadvisableforyoutogotoBaskervilleHall.” “WhyshouldInotgo?” “Thereseemstobedanger.” “Doyoumeandangerfromthisfamilyfiendordoyoumeandangerfromhumanbeings?” “Well,thatiswhatwehavetofindout.” “Whicheveritis,myanswerisfixed.Thereisnodevilinhell,Mr.Holmes,andthereisnomanuponearthwhocanpreventmefromgoingtothehomeofmyownpeople,andyoumaytakethattobemyfinalanswer.”Hisdarkbrowsknittedandhisfaceflushedtoaduskyredashespoke.ItwasevidentthatthefierytemperoftheBaskervilleswasnotextinctinthistheirlastrepresentative.“Meanwhile,”saidhe,“Ihavehardlyhadtimetothinkoverallthatyouhavetoldme.It’sabigthingforamantohavetounderstandandtodecideatonesitting.Ishouldliketohaveaquiethourbymyselftomakeupmymind.Now,lookhere,Mr.Holmes,it’shalf-pastelevennowandIamgoingbackrightawaytomyhotel.Supposeyouandyourfriend,Dr.Watson,comeroundandlunchwithusattwo.I’llbeabletotellyoumoreclearlythenhowthisthingstrikesme.” “Isthatconvenienttoyou,Watson?” “Perfectly.” “Thenyoumayexpectus.ShallIhaveacabcalled?” “I’dprefertowalk,forthisaffairhasflurriedmerather.” “I’lljoinyouinawalk,withpleasure,”saidhiscompanion. “Thenwemeetagainattwoo’clock.Aurevoir,andgood-morning!” Weheardthestepsofourvisitorsdescendthestairandthebangofthefrontdoor.InaninstantHolmeshadchangedfromthelanguiddreamertothemanofaction. “Yourhatandboots,Watson,quick!Notamomenttolose!”Herushedintohisroominhisdressing-gownandwasbackagaininafewsecondsinafrock-coat.Wehurriedtogetherdownthestairsandintothestreet.Dr.MortimerandBaskervillewerestillvisibleabouttwohundredyardsaheadofusinthedirectionofOxfordStreet. “ShallIrunonandstopthem?” “Notfortheworld,mydearWatson.Iamperfectlysatisfiedwithyourcompanyifyouwilltoleratemine.Ourfriendsarewise,foritiscertainlyaveryfinemorningforawalk.” Hequickenedhispaceuntilwehaddecreasedthedistancewhichdividedusbyabouthalf.Then,stillkeepingahundredyardsbehind,wefollowedintoOxfordStreetandsodownRegentStreet.Onceourfriendsstoppedandstaredintoashopwindow,uponwhichHolmesdidthesame.Aninstantafterwardshegavealittlecryofsatisfaction,and,followingthedirectionofhiseagereyes,Isawthatahansomcabwithamaninsidewhichhadhaltedontheothersideofthestreetwasnowproceedingslowlyonwardagain. “There’sourman,Watson!Comealong!We’llhaveagoodlookathim,ifwecandonomore.” AtthatinstantIwasawareofabushyblackbeardandapairofpiercingeyesturneduponusthroughthesidewindowofthecab.Instantlythetrapdooratthetopflewup,somethingwasscreamedtothedriver,andthecabflewmadlyoffdownRegentStreet.Holmeslookedeagerlyroundforanother,butnoemptyonewasinsight.Thenhedashedinwildpursuitamidthestreamofthetraffic,butthestartwastoogreat,andalreadythecabwasoutofsight. “Therenow!”saidHolmesbitterlyasheemergedpantingandwhitewithvexationfromthetideofvehicles.“Waseversuchbadluckandsuchbadmanagement,too?Watson,Watson,ifyouareanhonestmanyouwillrecordthisalsoandsetitagainstmysuccesses!” “Whowastheman?” “Ihavenotanidea.” “Aspy?” “Well,itwasevidentfromwhatwehaveheardthatBaskervillehasbeenverycloselyshadowedbysomeonesincehehasbeenintown.HowelsecoulditbeknownsoquicklythatitwastheNorthumberlandHotelwhichhehadchosen?IftheyhadfollowedhimthefirstdayIarguedthattheywouldfollowhimalsothesecond.YoumayhaveobservedthatItwicestrolledovertothewindowwhileDr.Mortimerwasreadinghislegend.” “Yes,Iremember.” “Iwaslookingoutforloiterersinthestreet,butIsawnone.Wearedealingwithacleverman,Watson.Thismattercut